Jester's Return
by lycanine
Summary: What happened to Joker after he's being sucked into a black hole created by his own Mandougu? My TAKE on his fate. Set at the end of the manga. Disclaimer to authorised copyrights. Dedicated to Haruko and Trimutri. Your fics inspired me.
1. Prologue: BlackWhite

Inside the darkness

**They said that a black hole can only exist in outer space.**

Well, I can create one with my Mandougu.

**They said that black hole is formed when the star collapsed under its own tremendous gravitational pull that no light can escape its center.**

My Taishiku Kaiten has an eye and its epi center forms the darkness that I'm spiraling in.

**They said that the black hole is like a vacuum and its pull is so great that any stray object comes near it will be smashed into pieces.**

Hmm, I can agree on that one, since I'm in one of the holes made by yours truely, although why aren't I in pieces like the enemy I've defeated is still a puzzle to me. Maybe my Mandougu is protecting me. Ok, Earth to Joker. The loss of blood from your chest wound is making you sprouting nonsense.

I wonder…if there is an end to this black tornado. It is also said by them that to time travel into the past or future, a black hole is one way to do it. Or was it to reach to the other side of the universe they are debating about. I'm already a dying person. No use trying to wreak my brains over such mundane issues.

Specking about dying, my bleeding seems to have stopped. Maybe the pressure from the outside is suppressing my wounds, thus preventing further loss of blood. Then again, if the spear is not stuck in my chest, part of it pierced through one of my lungs, I didn't have to resort to this in the first place.

**If mankind can build a spacecraft that can withstand the crushing force within a black hole, who knows what kind of place Man can end up in…**

Light…I saw light. Impossible! No brightness can be found in a black hole. Is this the beacon that will bring me to the Other Side? Or have I reached to the end of the back hole? It is only a tiny twinkle, but the velocity of the tunnel is bringing me closer towards the whiteness. I closed my eyes as the glare of the light hurt my iris. With a sudden thrust, I was jerked into the brightness and that action sends what little consciousness I have into oblivion.


	2. DeadLiving

Four hundred years into Ancient Japan

Koganei Kaoru is gazing into the starless night, sitting on at the apex of a pine tree. He sighed to no one in particular. He misses them, Yanagi-neechan, Fuuko-chan, Domon, Tokiya-niisan, even the monkey Recca-niichan. Ganko, now that is someone he'll never admit aloud that he misses the most. He never regretted following Kurei-niisan into the past through the time warp. But at times like this, he feels a bit nostalgic.

The older former flame caster looked up at the canopy, his senses telling him the little one is still at his perch. He too, also has his moments like Kaoru, that's why he gave him the veil of privacy for his thoughts. Hokage clan is been scattered into the four winds and can never be reform. Still, Kurei persist in his one-man mission to form a new Hokage. The Hokage Scarlett. The name is in the memories of his clan and his beloved.

"Well, took you long enough to reach to this time period, Kurei-han."

The raven haired man leaped onto his feet, only to face someone whom he believed to have died four hundred years in the future. "Joker?"

The man is dressed similarly to Kaoru, longer and larger in length. A straw hat is perched on his head, hiding his gaze from the world as usual. His hair is tied up like a typical samurai.

"How?" He asked the being before him, never in doubt of the identity of his closest confident.

He smiled, "Now be patient, Kurei-han. We have to get everyone together first. I don't think I want to repeat my tale."

Kurei nodded, and whistled for the boy to come down. When Kaoru finally got over the shock of seeing Joker living and breathing before him, he jumped towards the guy and hugged him with all his strength. Once the greetings over, everyone sat down around the fire. "Firstly, I'll say three things before I begin my story." When no one interrupted him, he continued.

"One, Kurei-han. You told me about your plans before we went to confront Kouran Mori. You have learned and master the forbidden skills of the Hokage. The time travel teleportation. Well, I've arrived here five years before the desiccation of your clan. And because of what you told me. I've waited for your arrival." Kurei was in shock, although he didn't reveal it in his expression.

"Two, although I'm no history buff and never wield any Madougu that has relation with time. I know that fooling with events that has happened before will result in irreversible consequences into the future. Hence, the reason why are still able to meet in this present." Joker's tone is unusually serious, given to his candid nature. Kaoru feels that what the senior Uruha is telling now is of grave importance. Even if he don't really understood the reason yet.

"Three, I suggest that whatever plans you have decided upon. It's best to let nature take its course and let it be. Otherwise, this reality might not even happen."

The tension radiating from Kurei is soo oppressing that Kaoru moved further away from the man. Joker didn't make movement on his side. Kurei took a deep breath to control his anger. Of all the verbal prodding and doings of the young man, never had his words made him wish he still has his flame. His temper, like Recca, like his father, Ohka, flaring like the flames that made Hokage known and feared in the past, is under a tight leash. Then, Joker made a statement that took the remaining steam out of his former boss.

"I also saw your father. The ninja named Ohka." Sensing that he finally got their interest, he recounts his tale of how he ended up in this period and where he regains consciousness.


	3. PastFuture

Joker's POV

Hmm, this feels soft. Must have landed on some kind of celestial clouds. If Raiha could see this…Well, I rather he lived a long and fulfilling life. That guy needs a new perspective. Being wrapped up in his destiny to fight with Fuuko-chan. I opened my eyes. Erh? Is Heaven supposed to be a room in a dwelling of ancient Japan?

"Nope. You're still alive. My friend, you are one lucky guy to have survived such an injury and so happened to be in the vicinity of the villa where the Lady Sakura resides in." (A/N: Sakura-Hime is the incarnation of Yanagi, for those who didn't read the manga.)

I got up in a hurry after a voice answered my rumbling. Ouch! It hurts…my chest. Bandages. My clothes…Kuso! My hat!

"Funny when a person realized that he's alive and hurting, the first time that comes to mind is unimportant things like a hat."

I glared at the owner of the voice, the full impact of my gaze shot daggers at him. The man took a step back, his hand pressing at his chest, as if to hold the heart that's inside.

"My hat. Where is it? I wouldn't ask twice." The man swallowed and pointed to the left of my bedding. His voice still paralyzed in his throat after my initial actions rooted him to his place. I lifted the mask that shield my eyes from everyone but Kurei-han and wore it. I turned to the stranger who intruded and gave him my most apologized smile. "Gomen ne, I'm not used to go without something covering my features."

"I'll say. You have one of the coldest eyes I've ever set my eyes upon. Those orbs show death and retribution in them. Are you an assassin by chance?"

I nodded. If I explained that I was one of the Uruha, the right hand man of Kurei-han and from the future. He'll think I've lose my marbles.

He nodded, and then said, "Then your former master must have betrayed you or you have been in a terrible battle."

"The latter," I replied. Like Raiha, I'll never betray Kurei-han. Although when he said that Kurei-han being my master sounds odd to my ears. When I decided to join the Uruha, I've made two conditions to him. One is I do as I wish, come as I go. Never bonded to anything then my own free will. Another is to treat him like a friend, a colleague, rather than someone who has superiority over me. In turn, I became his closest confident.

Then, a feminine voice intruded the conversation. "I see you have awakened."

I looked up and nearly gasped in surprise. The girl before my eyes is an exact replica of the girl of healing that Kurei-han kidnapped under the orders of Mori Kouran. Then everything falls into place.

"You healed me." That was a statement of fact and the shocked expressions on everyone's face confirm my suspicion.


End file.
